Google Tweaks Algorithm to Give Fresher Results

It was announced Thursday that search engine giant Google will be tweaking its algorithm to produce fresher results, which will affect about 35 percent of what search results come up now.

According to Google, the search engine's goal is to be able to figure out what you're looking for and give you the most recent material. The algorithmic changes will be able to determine from your search terms or phrases what is most relevant and current. The most trending topics and their most recent results automatically get ranked higher. If you're searching on Occupy protests, Google will give you the most popular and up to date information on the topic.

Another change is that Google's revised algorithm will show the most current results from regularly occurring events like the Presidential elections or Olympics. The hottest topics that get a lot of updates, such as items about the iPhone or other new gadgets, will also get ranked higher in new search results.

What becomes easier is that you won't have to specify what you're looking for in order to get the most recent results. Ideally, Google would already be able to know and do that. For instance, if you're going to run a search about the Olympics, Google will rank the 2012 Olympics at the top without you specifying 2012.

Unchanging information, such as traditional recipes or historical events, don't require the same freshness approach since they do not change.

Google's Amrit Singhal explains on Google's official blog that this tweak in the algorithm is designed to better understand how to differentiate between these kinds of searches and the level of freshness you need, and make sure you get the most up to the minute answers. He adds, Different searches have different freshness needs.

These days, we're all about staying current, staying connected, and staying trendy. With so many existing and emerging search engines out there, this revised algorithm could be Google's key to winning out the competition.